The vegan diet is really working for me. I actually consider myself vegan, because I made the change a permanent lifestyle. I have been on it for 10 weeks. The first 6 weeks I ate all raw fruits and veggies. I added baked sweet potato in my diet last week, which showed great results. I have lost 40 pounds in 10 weeks, and I do not miss eating meat. I also do not eat any breads, grains, etc. I feel better and have a lot more energy.

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Started journey to health: April 29, 2013

As of Sept. 12, 2013: -67 pounds gone

Many more pounds to go

"Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world."
-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Life is a journey I guess. I found out yesterday that my heart's ejection fraction is down to 30% This is not good news. In fact it means I could drop over at anytime. The only hope is to go onto a vegan diet which I have already started.

The next book and dvd "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease", I've ordered are from a Doctor Esselstyn MD from the Cleveland Clinic who also recommends a plant-based diet, with no nuts, oils, fish, meat or dairy products. He comes highly recommended by the author of the China Study book I just read. He also is Bill Clinton's doctor who advises him on his vegan diet as well. If he's good enough for Bill Clinton, he's good enough for me. Bill Clinton is rich enough to see any doctor he wants, and this is who he chose.

The DVD I ordered is a four hour long lecture that he gives his patients on vegan diets and how they work to prevent and reverse heart disease. People pay $1000's of dollars and fly in from all over the world to attend this seminar. So to get it on a DVD for under $60 is a pretty good deal.

Well I've been on the vegan diet almost a month now. I've been following Dr. Esselstyn's plan fairly close. I watched his dvd, and read his book and I think he's right on target. I'm down 12.1 pounds since I started a month ago. That's fantastic news for me.

So I've been on the Dr. Esselstyn no oil, vegan diet for 8 weeks now. I had some blood work done this week and here are my 8 week results.

Weight...down 17.6 lbs.

1AC down to 5.6 from 6.7

Cholesterol down to 144 from 159

LDL- CHOL down to 56 from 72

HDL-CHOL is at 34

Triglycerides are still a little high.

According to my doctor, my whole body is making very good improvements and is doing well with this diet. Kidneys are functioning fine, and I should continue exercising to get the triglycerides down. Doctor says to stick with the diet. This is all very good news for me and proof that nutritional therapy does indeed work !!

AARP this month has an article about Bill Clinton's vegan lifestyle. They interviewed him for the article. He lost around 30 pounds and has stayed on the vegan diet. He says that he really enjoys the food but misses yogurt and cheese - he doesn't miss meat! He has a once-a-seek meal of baked salmon or an omega-3-enriched egg omelette, so he permits himself to stray off the vegan path that way.

Vegan diet really works especially to those people who are meat eaters. If you are able to hold that diet for quite sometime you will definitely lose weight, other than that you will feel lighter and more active that before.

I have been vegan for ten years and still have challenges with my weight. I know many vegans who do. Really - it's about eating healthful, whole foods, not just specifically about cutting animal products (although it helps and I certainly would suggest it to anyone! Just don't be surprised if it's not the answer to your weight loss goals!)

French fries, potato chips, coconut ice cream, dark chocolate, take out food, veggie burgers... if you have a propensity for junk food, you will find it, even as a vegan. YES it may be a bit more healthful comparatively/as a whole, but if the problem lays in how much you eat, or a love of junk-food, being vegan is not going to fix that

Vegan diets are more preferable because it consists of only leafy and green vegetables and fruits which are rich in nutrition and fibers and low in calories. So if you are going for vegan food items there are unlimited options with low calories.

This is a half truth. Although they do consist of leafy greens, etc., they don't solely consist of those things. Oreos are Vegan, so is Duncan Hines Icing!

Vegetarian diet which includes more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant-based proteins — foods will help in weight loss.You can gain weight on a vegetarian diet if your portion sizes are too big or if you eat too many high-calorie foods. If you want to keep yourself healthy then eat healthy diet and balance calories eaten with calories burned.

Angelica

Last edited by vabeachgirlNYC; 11-26-2013 at 05:52 AM.
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This is going to be an off-the-wall estimate based on my experiences, not exact science. I suspect you will lose five pounds the first week on that plan, but only about 2 pounds per week after that. Remember, that is a very healthy weight loss speed.

Your weight loss will slow down gradually as you proceed with the diet.

Your exercise and calorie intake levels are fairly aggressive, so it might be faster than what I am suggesting, but I would prefer to set your expectations low.